


Pretenders

by alexanderlightweight



Series: Michael Guerin Week 2019 [1]
Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Angst, Canonical Character Death, Canonical Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Torture, Jesse Manes Being an Asshole, M/M, Michael Guerin Week 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-21
Updated: 2019-09-21
Packaged: 2020-10-25 13:43:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20725142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alexanderlightweight/pseuds/alexanderlightweight
Summary: Welcome to the party,” Michael said and he let a grin curl his lips into something cruel and far less than the human facade he normally wore.From the small glass box that he was contained in, Jesse Mane’s usually impassive face twisted into a cold snarl that had haunted Michael’s dreams for nearly a decade.  This was Michael’s turn to be the monster on the other side.  His turn to see Jesse suffer.





	Pretenders

**Author's Note:**

> (Part of the Michael Guerin Week 2019)
> 
> Prompt: Welcome To The Party

Welcome to the party,” Michael said and he let a grin curl his lips into something cruel and far less than the human facade he normally wore.

From the small glass box that he was contained in, Jesse Mane’s usually impassive face twisted into a cold snarl that had haunted Michael’s dreams for nearly a decade. This was Michael’s turn to be the monster on the other side. His turn to see Jesse suffer.

Decades of crimes, of pain and hate and the two things that had hurt Michael the worst had been the people Jesse had stolen from him. His mother and Alex.

“Did you really think we were done with you?” Michael asked, keeping his tone nonchalant and grinned, a feral and predatory smile that showed his teeth, “that we’d let your crimes stand without making you pay?”

“You’re monsters,” Jesse said, believing himself correct even as he was the one locked away.

“No, we’re _survivors_. Sometimes, that means shedding a little blood. Last time it was mine, this time it’s yours.” 

Jesse didn’t show any obvious, outward reaction. The tiniest narrowing of his eyes was enough however. Michael didn’t need denial, or pleas or even for Jesse to confess. That wasn’t what this was about, this was to bide time and that’s all he needed. 

Time.

Breaking Jesse Manes wasn’t going to work. Michael had known that going into this. Alex had warned him, in the one conversation that they’d had, that Michael wouldn’t be able to do it.

It had stung, being told that he wasn’t capable, that this was one more thing he’d fail at in life. One more thing that Alex didn’t have faith in him for. It had taken a strong hand gripping his shoulder and meeting warm, dark brown eyes for him to realize it was a good thing.

“You don’t want to be able to break someone like my dad,” Alex had told him gently, “but you’re more than enough to distract him.” Alex had given his arm a squeeze, like a one-handed embrace and Michael had longed for a hug but Alex had pulled away, stepped out of his space and then left the room. In the end, Michael couldn’t be sure if Alex had left because of what he was about to do, or if it was because the thought of Maria lingered between them like an invisible wall.

It didn’t make sense for Alex to be jealous but then, nothing about Alex had ever made sense to Michael. He was as intricate as the galaxy and so much harder to understand, Michael would always love that about him. No matter where they stood, Michael would always love him.

That was what encouraged him, got him through staring into the eyes of the man who had been responsible for the horrors and atrocities committed against his people. Who had stolen Michael’s family away and hammered at Michael until his bones and hope and love were crushed.

What he wouldn’t give to crush Jesse in return.

Instead, he grinned and took off the glove of his left hand and Jesse’s eyes widened at the sight of his healed hand.

“You didn’t want me to be able to touch him,” Michael said softly, “but I never needed two hands for that.”

That got a response, a disgusted curl of Jesse’s mouth and the gleam of hatred that magnified in his eyes. He didn’t speak, but Michael didn’t need him to. 

“This, this just shows that nothing you could ever do to me is permanent. Those people you had trapped, my people,” Michael said and he doesn’t actually believe anything of what he’s saying. Even without the physical evidence, what Jesse broke will never be healed. “I’m stronger than them and I’m stronger than you.”

“Alex isn’t,” Jesse said and Michael hated how he spoke Alex’s name like a curse. “Alex isn’t even whole anymore. Imagine how easy it would be to break him completely.”

“Alex isn’t here for you to hurt,” Michael told him. Because while he’d known Alex would be brought up and was far away, safe, the threat still struck him deeply. As if to punctuate that feeling, the chair Jesse was strapped to rattled dangerously. It made them both pause, Manes as he regrouped and Michael as he tried to gain control.

“Kick a dog enough while it’s a pup and even grown it always remembers,” was all Manes said, a cruel gleam to his smile, “Alex may be pretending he knows what he’s doing but soon enough he’ll remember why he shouldn’t go against me.” 

Michael bit his cheek, digging the nails of his left hand deep into the unscarred flesh in a desperate bid to remember the pain, remember what consequences felt like and keep his temper under control.

His powers were deliberate. They’d had to be. Unlike Max and Isobel he hadn’t grown up in a loving and caring home. He’s grown up under harsh words and harder hits and exorcisms. It had been hide or be hurt and his life had been filled with both. 

When his powers activated, it’s because he wanted them to. Max caused a city wide blackout without trying but Michael had never once caused an earthquake. Not because he couldn’t, but because he controlled it.

“Alex is stronger than you’ve ever given him credit,” Michael said and he grit his teeth when Jesse laughed.

“You’d like to believe that, but he always did go running when I told him to, didn’t he?” 

“Moments of weakness, of fear don’t get to determine the strength and integrity of someone,” Michael bit out and he felt tired now, less in control and he knew it probably showed. He hated it, hated that even trapped in glass Jesse knew where to hit and he lashed out with his powers. Took the chair and Jesse with it up against the wall, let the world rattle and shake and crack around him. Knew that he looked otherworldly, knew that when Jesse started laughing, a gloating and ugly sound and Michael continued to let his power flood out. 

After all. He was but a distraction gaining them time.

It felt like hours and seconds both when Isobel’s fingers brushed gently over his shoulder, “I’m done.” She said softly, pressing her arm against his in silent solidarity and then looked at Jesse’s battered but confident form.

“You got it then?”

“Three locations that might contain more people like us,” she said softly, “you did good. He was so focused on you that he didn’t even notice me.”

Michael nodded and didn’t even spare Jesse a glance, after all, this was nothing but a dream. He closed his eyes as Iz slipped her hand in his, opened them again to the white and sterile walls of a hospital. Jesse Manes lay in a hospital bed, Valenti observing his vitals as Liz watched the doors. His body was jerking, face creased in pain but Valenti didn’t call for nurses or look worried, just marked something on his chart and then reached for a needle.

“Patient had an adverse reaction to one of medications,” Valenti said easily, “fortunately I was in the area and was able to monitor his condition.” 

Michael nodded and clenched his fist, a part of him wishing that it had been real and he’d done more. For now, they had a target and a rescue to plan.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm very late on writing these so I'm just going to dive in and try and catch up before the weeks over! If I ever miss any tags or warnings please let me know.   
I'm on tumblr as [alexanderlightweight](https://alexanderlightweight.tumblr.com)


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